The Transportation Policy Council has programmed federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) for H-GAC to continue the implementation of commuter and transit services pilot projects. H-GAC contracts with public transportation providers and local governments to provide services that benefit major employment and living centers, park and ride services, fixed route circulators, worksite-to-worksite shuttle, and subscription express services. To qualify for funding, projects must demonstrate an emissions reduction benefit to the region and provide additional commuting options, without duplicating or replacing existing transit services.

H-GAC and TxDOT are developing a Local Project Advance Funding Agreement (CSJ# 0912-00-464) to provide $2,000,000 in federal CMAQ funds and $500,000 in local match to continue operating and managing three existing commuter and transit service pilot projects in the eight-county Houston-Galveston Transportation Management Area:

• Fort Bend County Transit, Expansion of Park & Ride Service to the Texas Medical Center

• Gulf Coast Center dba Connect Transit, Expansion of League City Park & Ride Service

• City of Conroe dba Conroe Connection, Conroe Park & Ride (FM 2854 @ IH 45)

No new pilot services will be supported under this funding agreement. A separate funding agreement supporting new commuter and transit pilot projects will be developed and brought to the Board for action at a later date.

Federal, Local

Yes

Request authorization to contract with TxDOT for Commute Solutions – Commuter and Transit Services Pilot Program; amount not to exceed $2,500,000. (Staff Contact: Alan Clark)